Richmond, VA

>>I'll be going to Richmond in late October to see the Faberge exhibit
at the Museum of Fine Arts.  Can anyone recommend a good restaurant for dinner?  I like restaurants that have an ecletic menu -- good, fresh ingredients prepared in an imaginataive (and basically healthy) manner.

I also like most ethnic foods and, in particular, Greek, Vietnamese, Thai, Moroccan, Italian, Middle Eastern.  I'm basically looking for a nice restaurant with a romantic atmosphere and well-prepared and presented food.<<\\\

Well, it don't know about "romantic,"  but my vote is for Frog and the Redneck.  Great food, not too expensive (by DC standards).  Gifted chef, lots of fun. (Cartoons on the wall.)  The chef (Jimmy Sneed?) has been on Julia Child's show.  he has some kind of partnership with Jean Luis Palladin, I think.  Sneed is the "redneck."
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----------------------------------------------------------- "HA! That's it!  Hold it right there....  Pronoun trouble."--Daffy Duck.

Candee P. wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
> I'll be going to Richmond in late October to see the Faberge exhibit
> at the Museum of Fine Arts.  Can anyone recommend a good restaurant for
> dinner?  I like restaurants that have an ecletic menu -- good, fresh
> ingredients prepared in an imaginataive (and basically healthy) manner.
>
> I also like most ethnic foods and, in particular, Greek, Vietnamese, Thai,
> Moroccan, Italian, Middle Eastern.  I'm basically looking for a nice
> restaurant with a romantic atmosphere and well-prepared and presented food.
>
> Thanks for any help.

	Forget about the Frog and the Redneck. It is a great restaurant but doesn't fit your specifications at all. I recommend Indochine. It is excellent Vietnamese with French overtones to some dishes. It is very small (seats about 20), dark and romantic in the storefront restaurant style. Plus it is only three blocks from the Museum, on West Cary Street. You might try to park in the free city parking garage just off Cary & Sheppard St. rather than bus in from the Museum's special Faberge lot, and walk back and forth.
	La Grotta is country Italian, located in an authentic :) cellar in the Shockoe Slip area downtown (East Cary St). Good kitchen (including wood fired oven), reasonably priced. Check out their antipasto plate and seafood specials.
	Avalon, on West main St. not far from the Museum, is what we call down here purebred American mongrel food: fine chef who changes her menu seasonally, specializes in unusual pairings that often involve pasta and seafood. For instance, a Thai inspired salad with shrimp might be on the menu along with Parisian escargot.